3000 years ago, Kautilya (popularly known as Chanakya) didn’t waste his time debating whether war between two countries was moral. He knew: war was a continuation of strategic objectives by other means.
In the Arthashastra, the only question was:
How ready are you to win?
I love this book, and I have read (and reread it) umpteen times.
It's examples may be outdated, but it's behavioural principles are more relevant than ever.
And in today's geopolitics, if ongoing conflicts do escalate, this book's ageless principles will still guide decisions at the highest levels.
But the Arthashastra is not just about war.
It's about how organisations and civilizations survive, fall and expand.
In peacetime, it's about how to balance the needs of the organisation with the needs of its members.
And an Arthashastra way of thinking demands preparation, not debate.
In return, it increases your odds of victory . Here's how:
